Elder Ethan Swenson . . . . . . . . Japan Sapporo Mission: 50th Week in Japan, 58 Weeks

I am in a Ward!

So my new area is 篠路 Shinoro! My new companion is Elder Hishii and I am the District leader! But you want to know what the funny thing is? Their are no Elders in my district only Sisters! So I don`t go on splits at all! Shinoro is the dreamland for missionaries. Nothing but houses. It is like the Suburbs of Sapporo. I really like it. Plus, I am in a ward! I love wards! So many people to talk to and all I have to worry about is dendo! Yesterday I gave my introduction in Sacrament meeting, and whenever that happens I usually say something funny. I started to talk about how I like to camp, and camp is not in the Japanese language so you say it in Katakana. So I said kanpu. But I guess in "correct" katakana camp is kyanpu. So everyone thought I was talking about kung fu for a while. It was funny because after church some of the Sisters from the ward came up to me and asked if I learned Kung fu in America. That was a good first day at church.

Well for the most part this week was transfers and a really long leaders meeting. When you become District Leader for the first time, you go to the Zone Leader meeting at the mission home and talk about the condition of the Mission, what needs to be changed, and some workshops from the STL`s, AP`s and from President Nakatsuka . That takes about 8 hours to complete. But the good thing was that we got to eat Costco Pizza!

Tomorrow the doctors who are over the Asain North Missions are going to do some workshops and stuff at Zone Conference. Plus we get to see "Meet the Mormons" and go to Yuki Matsuri (That is the festival where people dance and their are huge building size ice sculptures) ! So tomorrow is going to be a blast!

Ok Love you guys and remember, Valentines day is coming! SO dont forget to show some love to your moms!

Elder Swenson